Wolf at the door
Words | Sophy Grimshaw It’s one of Ethiopia’s most beautiful assets and a vital part of its ecology and scenery, but the Ethiopian wolf could soon be extinct. As the Born Free Foundation makes its campaign to save these creatures a fundraising priority this summer, voyager discovers why this important animal continues to inspire HIGH [...]
Words | Sophy Grimshaw
It’s one of Ethiopia’s most beautiful assets and a vital part of its ecology and
scenery, but the Ethiopian wolf could soon be extinct. As the Born Free Foundation
makes its campaign to save these creatures a fundraising priority this summer,
voyager discovers why this important animal continues to inspire
HIGH IN THE mountains of the Bale
National Park, about a day’s journey
from Addis Ababa, live the last of the
Ethiopian wolves, the world’s most
endangered wild dogs. With their
rust-coloured coats, they resemble
the familiar British woodland fox
moreso than the better known grey
wolf. Many people have never even heard of this
endangered African mammal, and the population has now
dwindled to a startlingly low 500, only half of which are
currently at breeding age. In short, the Ethiopian Wolf is on
the brink of extinction.
“It’s a unique situation,” explains Alison Hood of
the environmental charity Born Free Foundation
(www.bornfree.org.uk), which employs around 30 local
people in the nearby community of Dinsho to monitor
and protect the wolves, making wolf conservation the
single largest source of employment here. “There are no
Ethiopian wolves in captivity,” she reports. “All the efforts
to conserve this animal are happening in the wild. It’s such
an endangered – and flagship – species for Ethiopia.”
When you get to the mountains, ironically your chances
of seeing the wolves are reasonably good.
“Once you’re in the right area, the Ethiopian wolf is
actually very easy to see,” says Hood, who has travelled
here from Britain as part of her work as programmes
director for Born Free’s campaigns department.
“The scenery where it lives – the beautiful highlands
of Ethiopia – is absolutely stunning and to see it here is
fantastic. People who are lucky enough to get to go to the
Bale Mountains National Park definitely stand a chance of
seeing the wolves,” she continues. “They’ve got very small
territories compared to grey wolves which can have territories
of 1,000km squared; the Ethiopian wolf has a territory
of about 6-13km squared. And they are not as scared of
humans as some animals are, as there’s been relatively little
persecution of them by people.”
It’s not direct hunting by humans which is threatening
the species; rather the expansion of farming settlements
has pushed the animals ever higher up into the mountains
and eroded their habitat. Another threat to the wolves’
survival has come from contracting rabies from domesticated dogs. In 1991, rabies wiped out three quarters
of the wolf population here, followed by outbreaks in 2003
and 2004, so vaccinating dogs against rabies is a large part
of the battle. “The benefits are that the dogs are healthier,
it protects the wolves, and it also protects the people and
cattle that might get bitten by a dog,” explains Hood.
“Vaccinating the dogs is a continuous project, because
we’re trying to maintain at least 70% of the dogs being
vaccinated every three years.” Each vaccination costs £2.50.
Born Free employs local people as wardens, veterinary
assistants and education officers, and children are
encouraged to learn about and discuss the issues facing
the wolves. The charity has even funded a sports centre in
Dinsho, which also hosts conservation education events.
The locals might not have heard of him, but wolves also
have a champion in Irish comedian and TV presenter Graham
Norton, a Born Free Foundation ambassador. He visited Bale
Mountains National Park for last year’s BBC programme
Saving Planet Earth, shadowing biologist Dr Claudio Sillero,
who first brought the plight of the wolves to the world’s
attention by founding the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation
Programme (www.ethiopianwolf.org) which Born Free supports.
“I’m just so honoured to have spent time with Claudio Sillero and his team to see their work,” says Norton. “When I arrived I was expecting a few dirty, dog-like wolves and a bit
of a desert. But it’s absolutely gorgeous; the sort of scenery that makes you cry. It’s hard to believe why, in such an unspoilt wilderness, there are just a handful of wolves left.”
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The wolves are part of the eco-system of the Bale
Mountains, which is a vital water catchment area for
Ethiopia, and there is cause for concern that their threatened
extinction through increased farming of their habitat could
have a knock-on impact on other animals and the clean
water supply. Sillero explains: “Ethiopian wolves are the
guardians of the Bale Mountains and the mountains are the
source of water for a huge area of the Horn of Africa. So, if we
were to lose these mountains [to farming], not only would
we lose many species of plants and animals but we’d also be
affecting human lives downstream.”
Norton is certainly among those convinced: “I don’t
think it’s just about saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if these
wolves stayed alive?’ It’s about saying, these wolves have
to stay alive, because if these wolves are dead that means
the mountains are dead, and that means no clean water
for millions of people. It’s not about prioritising animals
over people; it’s about the bigger picture. The Bale
Mountains are incredibly special and beautiful. And if
you save the wolves, you save the place.”
Seeing the wolf in Ethiopia
As with any nature tourism, there is no guarantee of seeing the
Ethiopian wolf when you visit the Bale Mountains National
Park, but it’s certainly possible. Other animals you might catch
a glimpse of include leopards and baboons, and a vast number
of bird species including lovebirds. For your own safety, only
visit with a guide or tour operator you trust. Also, be aware that
some visitors find the high-altitude conditions challenging;
for research visit www.baletrek.com
and www.africaguide.com
HELP SAVE THE WOLF
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Walk For Wolves
To help raise funds for the protection of the Ethiopian wolf, the
Born Free Foundation hosts a sponsored Walk For Wolves on 7
September in London. The start point is Battersea Park and there
is a choice of different route lengths. Anyone can participate, but
dog-owners are encouraged to get their pet sponsored as a fun
gesture. Register for the walk and you’ll be sent a Walking For
Wolves T-shirt and a Born Free collar for your dog;
www.bornfree.org.uk/get-involved/events/walk-for-wolves
Adopt A Wolf
You can ‘adopt’ a particular breed of Ethiopian wolf, the
Sodata pack. The £24 annual fee includes a framed colour
photo of the wolves and regular progress updates, and
proceeds go towards helping to fund conservation efforts;
www.bornfree.org.uk/give/adopt-an-animal/wolf
alt="Animal lover Graham Norton is an ambassador for the Born Free Foundation"
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It’s a wolf’s life
Ethiopian wolves (also known
as Simien foxes) live in
family packs and have highly
developed social structures
to share the parental care of
pups. Smaller than grey wolves
and fox-like in appearance,
the creatures are slender,
have a reddish coat and black
markings on their tails. The
animals’ typical day means
rising in the morning and
greeting one another before
patrolling their territory and
hunting for food.
